1. Field of the Invention
The invention is in the field of exercise machines.
2. The Prior Art
The use of exercise machines has proliferated in the last decade or so, and there is an ever increasing array of exercise machines of many different varieties and types. Some types of exercise machines are quite complex and are structurally heavy, are often times attached to the floor or the wall and are provided with a complicated arrangement of levers, pulleys, weights, etc. This kind of equipment is most frequently found in commercial spas, sports centers and exercise facilities. Other types of exercise machines are designed primarily for home use and are typically simpler, lighter, and much less expensive while still providing versatility with respect to different types of exercises that may be performed. Other types of exercise machines are usable in either a commercial spa or exercise facility or the home.
Many state-of-the-art machines are intended for exercising particular groups of muscles in the arms, legs or trunk. Not uncommonly, a person must move from one machine to another in order to obtain a full range of exercise for all major muscle groups of the arms, legs and trunk. In other types of exercise machines, the user may use the same machine but must vary his or her position on the machine to engage in different exercises in order to exercise the different major muscle groups.
The nature of the exercising movements which are performed on state-of-the-art exercise machines also varies depending upon the type of the machine. Many types of state-of-the-art exercise machines are designed so as to require unidirectional exercising movement. This type of exercising movement is characterized in that typically there is both a forward force stroke and a return force stroke but the body is exercised on only one of the strokes, or in other words in only one direction. Thus, the term "unidirectional" implies with respect to an exercise movement that the part of the body that is being exercised, as for example an arm or a leg, is only working during half of the cycle. An example of a type of exercise machine which is well known in the art in which the type of exercise movement is primarily unidirectional is a rowing machine.
Another, second type of classification with respect to the type of required exercising movement pertains to whether the exercising movement is synchronous or asynchronous. In a synchronous exercising movement the arms or upper extremities and/or the legs or lower extremities move together in the same direction or in synchronization on both the forward force and return strokes of the exercising movement. In asynchronous exercising movements, the upper and/or lower extremities are on opposite strokes or cycles. Examples of asynchronous exercising machines include machines which simulate cross-country skiing, stationary running machines or machines which simulate stair climbing, stationary cycling machines and the like.
Virtually all state-of-the-art exercise machines which are currently known combine the above two described types of exercising movement in one of three different ways: by providing synchronous but unidirectional exercising movement; by providing asynchronous and unidirectional exercising movement; or by providing asynchronous and bidirectional exercising movement.
Furthermore, virtually all exercising machines which are currently known in the art tend to provide exercising movement which is primarily directed to a specific muscle group such as the major muscles of the arms or upper extremities, the major muscles of the legs or lower extremities, or the major muscle groups of the trunk. A few types of exercise machines may require exercising movements which require exercising more than just the major muscle groups in the upper extremities, lower extremities or trunk but few if any require effective simultaneous exercise of all major muscle groups from the upper extremities, lower extremities and trunk. Accordingly, typically added time is required if a person intends to provide adequate exercise for the major muscle groups of all of these areas of his or her body.